


Ain't Life in Rapture Grand?

by t0talcha0s



Category: BioShock
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Gen, as well as in-game, pre-game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-06-02 19:57:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6580255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t0talcha0s/pseuds/t0talcha0s
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rapture was the most beautiful thing Bill McDonagh had ever created, and he would do anything he could do to keep it that way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Leaks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told Mr. Ryan when we were building this place; either you build her like a bathtub, or she's gonna turn into a sewer.  
> \- Eden Leaking

Bill McDonagh loved all of Rapture but he loved the vision that was Hephaestus most of all. The red magma ran through the veins of Rapture, keeping the city Bill loved alive. The sight filled Bill with pride, and alleviated any stress he was carrying in his shoulders. Bill had just finished jabber-jawing with Ryan's woman in Arcadia, Julie Langford. The damn broad about chewed his ear off ranting and raving about how her trees were getting doused in sea water, as if it were entirely Bill's fault that Arcadia was taking on sea water. He'd assign the entire situation to Pablo Navarro, he had more dire problems to deal with, plus he didn't much want to get chewed out by that damn Langford woman again. Bill loved all of Rapture but the tunnels of Hephaestus were his home. He breathed deeply, the scent of hard work and success surrounding him. Hephaestus was a place of productivity and the entire place seemed to thrum with work. He hadn't even made it to his office, had just stepped into the workshops when a deeply Australian shout of, 

"McDonagh!" Attracted his attention. There went his good mood. 

"What do you want Kyburz?" A familiar scowling face came into view, one Bill certainly wouldn't want to wake up in bed next to or encounter in a dark alley. 

"We've got an issue." 

"Then take care of it yeah?" 

"I'm no damn plumber, I'm an electrical engineer." Bill had to hold back a comment along the lines of 'you're also a university smart who's never worked a day of honest hard work in his life.' "Medical Pavilion is leaking like a racehorse after a couple beers so I suggest you get down there and talk Steinman into heating those pipes before we're all reenacting the fate of the poor saps who didn't get a seat on Noah's ark." 

"Send someone else to do it, I don't have time to threaten that insane fuck. I've got the entire city complaining about leaks, and the batty bitch in Arcadia breathing down my neck about the irrigation system so I'm not about to waste my day stomping down to the Medical Pavilion." 

"All my workers are busy with maintenance, I sent Pablo to check what was blocking the tubes three hours ago and I still haven't seen his ass back yet." 

"I've got a date with the missus tonight and I don't plan to be late." 

"Then write him a letter or send him a message, we've all got our damn problems to deal with and this is yours." And without letting Bill get a word in edgewise Kyburz turned and showed himself out. Bill rolled his eyes, adding the task to his mental checklist as he walked to his office. So many people were up his ass with complaints about leaks recently, a corridor near Fort Frolic caved in, there's a crack in the walls of the Athena's Glory that could threaten the integrity of the place, Langford and all her complaints in Arcadia, one of the pipes in geothermal control sprung a leak, and now Steinman's on the edge of drowning the Medical Pavilion. He supposed he could send Steinman an audio diary to get the idea of heating the pipes through his thick, artsy head. He'd record that on his way to work tomorrow, today he had some paperwork to fill out, then a date to get to. 

The work was easy, and rather monotonous, but he finished it up quickly enough and gave Kyburz's office the finger on his way out of Hephaestus. He straightened his shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles from sitting hunched over paperwork. He was in the lobby of the Kashmir, only the finest for his beloved Mrs. Elaine McDonagh, when he noticed a chill in the air. He sniffed a little, to try and clear his sinuses, and found his sense of smell assaulted by the scent of salt. He looked up, to the high vaulted ceiling of the Kashmir lobby and felt a drop of water land right on his nose. The crack wasn't alone, another dripped water into the hands of an elegant statue, they weren't too severe he could send a work crew out tomorrow to patch them up. Bill rolled his eyes and entered the Kashmir. More fucking leaks, Ryan would have his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for this first chapter being a little short and bland and for my Kyburz being too aggressive.


	2. Lunatics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan nationalized Fontaine Futuristics -- he owns it now, lock, stock and barrel. For the good of the city, he says. He'll break it up in due time, he says. I've resigned from the Council and lodged me letter of protest, but that's just pissing in the wind. It'll be war, I say  
> \- Ryan Takes F Futuristics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going off-canon from the Bioshock novel.

Bill Mcdonagh was honored to have a chair in the Rapture Central Council chambers. He was honored when Andrew told him he was his first choice for council member. The chambers themselves were beautiful but the arguments they contained could get ugly. The seats were sparsely filled today. Tenenbaum almost never showed up, Culpepper had all but resigned (and was rumored to all and resign soon), Kyburz was flouncing around Hephaestus to the last of Bill's knowledge, Greavy and Rizzo were off together doing god knows what, and Steinman was holed up in surgery. It left just Ryan, Kinkaide, Cohen, Sullivan, and Bill himself to attend to business. On the menu for today's meeting was the difficult subject of the proposed takeover of Fontaine Futuristics. Bill tapped his pencil in great irritation as he listened to Andrew speak. 

Usually the two of them had ideologies that intersected, but Bill couldn't help but think he was insane to want to absorb Fontaine Futuristics into Ryan Industries. Bill knew that would cause an uproar among Rapture citizens, and it completely went against everything Bill thought Andrew believed in. Bill was insulted that Andrew would ever go back on his ideals, and this Fontaine thing was causing a rift between the two of them. 

"This is the only course of action." Andrew said and Cohen nodded as if he were paying the slightest bit of attention and not jotting down song lyrics. "Fontaine is a public menace and the assets that Fontaine Futuristics contain are too dangerous to pass along as according to Fontaine's last will and testament." Bill took down a note that read 'Andrew's expression when he mentions Fontaine' instead of replying to the bullshit that Andrew was spewing. They'd had this same argument many times, it was all that Council meetings seemed to be now, just the two of them arguing about Fontaine as Sullivan chimed in every now and then as a voice of reason. 

Bill didn't know so much about reason anymore. He knew what was, the leaks that plagued Rapture, the relieved expression on Sullivan's face as they exited the Council chambers together, but he couldn't explain why things were the way they were. Andrew used to walk out of the council chambers with Bill and Sullivan, he used to attend Bill's post-meeting poker nights and politely drink a spot of brandy before bidding Sullivan and the McDonagh's goodbye and heading off, most likely to work and not home to his fiancée. Most likely to finalize the plans for the takeover of Fontaine Futuristics. 

"It only pisses Mr. Ryan off more when you don't argue with him." Sullivan broke Bill's concentration on what used to be. 

"Yeah well he only pisses me off more and more lately." Sullivan nods in understanding. Andrew's recent streak of stubbornness was trying everyone's patience. Elaine opened the door for Bill and Sullivan when they arrived at the McDonagh residence, she had a tired smile on her face, understated but welcoming. Bill and Sullivan walk in. 

"How was council, dear." She says as she closed the door and Bill leans in to kiss her cheek. 

"I don't know why I even go anymore, Andrew is bloody insane." 

"Andrew signs our paychecks, besides you don't mean that." Sullivan had already taken a seat at the kitchen table when Bill and Elaine enter the room. "Sophie is asleep so don't be too loud tonight boys." 

They played cards for about an hour, some rummy, some poker, they decided not to play war. They went through half a bottle of rum, the good stuff, taken home from Bill's bar. Sullivan waved goodbye to Bill and neither could mentally recap the conversations they had over their cards, Bill thought that might be lucky. 

Bill opened the door to he and Elaine's bedroom, he admired the sleeping form of his wife. He had Andrew to thank for their meeting. He loved her. She was good to sleep next to. 

The next Council meeting went about as swimmingly as the last, if not less so. Andrew announced his final plan for Fontaine Futuristics, a complete raid and takeover, Bill almost yelled. 

Andrew stood up in front of the council, Bill, Sullivan, Kinkaide, Kyburz, and Rizzo were the only few who attended, and he spoke, no, pontificated about his plan for a company that wasn't his. He outlined an armed raid, a complete physical takeover of all assets legally belonging to Fontaine, he spoke about incorporating the employees of Fontaine Futuristics into Ryan Industries, everything Fontaine had would be shipped over to Andrew, and Fontaine would be-

Bill stood up. This didn't feel like a council meeting it felt like a pitch for Ryan Industries corrupt business practices. Sullivan raised an eyebrow at Bill's audacity to stand during Andrew's speech. But Bill did more then that, Bill walked out. He walked out and angrily walked all the way home, Elaine looked at him funny and Sophie asked him what was wrong. Bill walked right by them. 

Bill walked to his desk and began to angrily write a letter, his pen full of poison and his paper almost ripping with the force with which he was writing. He wrote a resignation, he wrote a protest, he wrote Andrew a message about how insane he was, what an idiot he must be for this plan, how Rapture will be at war because of him. He considered publishing it, no, Andrew wouldn't allow him, no matter how much he preached free speech Andrew was the biggest censor in all of Rapture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoy writing this


	3. Rebellion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many different ways can I write this scene.

There were five corpses on Andrew Ryan's wall, Bill couldn't name them if he was asked. They were assassins but they were dead now so it hardly mattered. Rapture had gone to shit and Andrew was to blame, assassination attempts were to be expected; but Bill still felt like the gun in his hand was too heavy. 

Bill had kissed Elaine and Sophie's heads as he left this morning, he usually did, but he still hoped they felt how different it was today.

He went to his bar, the Fighting McDonagh, it was named after his father, a boxer. He examined his bar sadly. Business was slow, Neptune's Bounty wasn't the hub of activity it used to be since Fontaine's was shut down and most of his regulars were dead, Sullivan too. Bill wandered aimlessly through his bar, lazily asking customers if they needed anything, he knew it didn't matter, he knew most of them didn't want to be bothered anyway. He relentlessly scrubbed at a spot of blood on one of his barstools but it didn't come off. 

When he left his bar his chest shone with hurt just looking at the sign. He had built this city, and he had built this life for himself, but it had all fallen apart. He told himself he didn't need to do this and he almost half believed it. 

He walked to Hephaestus, his home away from home. His shoulders tensed, the red lava flowing around him felt overwhelming, like it was swarming him. He jiggled the weight of the pistol in his palm. It didn't seem right, but he knew it was what had to be done. As he walked towards Andrew's office he paid his respects to the assassins pinned to the wall. He knew there was a very good chance he might join them. He thought he could be okay with that. 

Andrew's door slid open obediently in front of him. There he was, strong jaw strong will and all, at his desk. His eyebrows jolted up at Bill, surprise but not unpleasant. Uncertainty knitted itself into Bill's gut, the pistol held quiet by his side. Andrew looked so open for that moment, almost emotional in a way that rattled Bill's thumping heart where it stood. 

"Bill." Andrew said cordially, as if nothing had changed since they last saw each other. Bill imagined a time where he hadn't resigned, where Andrew hadn't absorbed Fontaine Futuristics, where Andrew had ever bothered to eat dinner at his home, where they were friends again: happy and young. He itched for the day when Andrew first met him, when there was still infatuation between them and they were clear of resentment. Bill never thought he would be so bitter of Rapture, his home and his life's work. The second woman he would ever claim to love, spoiled though wasn't it all now. And there sat Andrew, dumb and surprised and beautiful. It tore Bill to shreds. 

"Mr. Ryan." He said, knew there was so much to be articulated between them. His throat stung heavy around the words. They looked at each other for a moment, in the eyes, as if the eyes really were the windows to the soul and they could find anything at all in them. Of course there was nothing, coolness, distance. Ryan was a man made apathetic. It was in that same way that Bill found passion. Perhaps that was their fit. Perhaps that's why he couldn't stand to look Ryan in those eyes he had so long considered so wise and so like a leader. What an idiot. 

Andrew used to correct him, tell him 'it is Andrew not Mr. Ryan" but today he let it hang. 

The scuff of work shoes across Andrew's floor made him bristle, his eyes scanning Bill's person looking for any sort of weakness or threat. His eyes laid on the pistol in his left hand as Bill began to raise his unsteady wrist. Andrew took a moment before acting, took notice of Bill's wavering features. His steadfast uncertainty. 

"I," Bill paused, raising his arm to a steady position, pistol pointing square between Andrew's eyes. Andrew steeled up immensely, and pressed a switch under his desk. 

"I'm sorry Mr. Ryan." There were shots, first several from one of the turrets which had popped up to Andrew's defense, one from Bill which lodged itself in Andrew's crown molding.

Bill hit the floor with a force that shook Andrew where he sat, made him turn his head from the grizzly display. He picked up a radio, called for the cleaning crew, then got out of his chair and walked out past Bill stopping only to glance at his face. A bullet had dug into his forehead, he hardly looked a man anymore. Andrew turned his head away so he would not be forced to recognize what Bill had done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while huh. We'll be done with this soon.

**Author's Note:**

> My Tumblr's Barefootcosplayer and I appreciate you sticking with me through all of this.


End file.
